Missing Red - ON HIATUS
by orangeyhairedimmortal
Summary: When Raphael doesn't come back after he left to try and find the mutagen created at the labs, Michelangelo and Donatello suspect that he's been kidnapped but Leonardo thinks otherwise. After detecting him with a tracker Donnie made, the two go out to find him and prove to Leo that Raph didn't leave of his own accord. But what they find is way worse than they expected. human!Raph
1. Chapter 1

**please, please PLEASE be very patient with this one. i like TMNT but i never actually sat down and watched the cartoons. i know how the brothers are towards each other and basic stuff but most of my knowledge is coming from the movies. i've planned to watch the shows before but i never get to. after seeing the last movie though, i wanted to do this so i'm confident i can give a good story and make it plausible but don't eat me if i get a fact or two wrong. thank you!**

* * *

Michelangelo stared at the red bandana as he drowned out Donatello's droning with thoughts of his own. He still couldn't believe that Raphael was missing. He was the biggest out of all of them and there wasn't much that could detain him, so why did he leave? It seemed to be the argument that Donnie and Leonardo were having for the third time that week. Leo thought he abandoned them and Donnie believed he was kidnapped. Mikey just wanted him back. He didn't care if he left of his own accord or not, he just wanted his brother back.

"He was determined to find that mutagen and turn human! He probably found it, is human, and living the high life in the city. What does he need with us?" Leo growled, pointing at Donnie. "He's on his own."

"How can you say something like that?!" Donnie yelled, adjusting his glasses. "Raph would never leave us like that. Sure he's hotheaded and says a lot of stuff, but you know all that's just steam. It dissipates quickly and he's usually always fine."

"Maybe his desire was stronger this time."

"Hey, guys?" Mikey said.

The other two looked over as Mikey looked up at them forlornly.

"Can you maybe not talk about him right now? Please?"

Donnie and Leo looked at each other guiltily. They were all close by far but Mikey and Raph were closest to each other. Leo didn't want to think that his brother would walk out on them, but he had a habit of doing it. Although Donnie was right in that he would always come back, this particular issue seemed to really cause his anger to flare. When he didn't come back, Leo figured he'd be gone for a while. But then Mikey found his bandana in the sewer tunnel and Donnie began to suspect that maybe Raphael wasn't just letting off steam but was in danger. Then the arguing started and it somehow always seemed to be in front of Mikey. He had been so upset when he found the bandana. So upset in fact that he hadn't cracked a joke since Raphael went missing.

"I'm sorry." Leo said sincerely. "We didn't mean to upset you."

Mikey just nodded and Leo sighed.

"We'll talk about it later." He told Donnie.

He began to walk away but Donnie began to walk after him.

* * *

When they seemed far enough away, Donnie grabbed his brother and pointed at him.

"Why won't you just admit that you're wrong? You _know_ that Raph isn't just gone. He was kidnapped."

"I thought we ended the discussion?" Leo growled.

"I just didn't want to continue it in front of Mikey. I feel it in my heart that Raph didn't just leave us."

"If you feel it in your heart so much, then why don't you go look for him?"

"Because I can't do it by myself!"

"Why not? You have all your gadgets and smarts! If you're so smart and if Raph got kidnapped, then why haven't you found him?!"

Donnie was struck by his brother's mockery and he looked down.

"Sorry…"

"I'm tired of talking about it. I'm going to go practice. When a real mission comes up, let me know."

Leo walked away as Donnie stared after him in shock. He sighed and decided to just try and see what he could find on his screens.

* * *

"Is he still missing?" April asked as she handed Donnie the bag of Chinese food.

"Yeah."

"How long has it been now?"

"Weeks. I just wish there was something to tell us that he's alright. I honestly don't care if he left us or if he was kidnapped, I just want something that lets us know he's alright."

April nodded and looked around for a second.

"Where's Mikey?"

"He's probably in his room. He hasn't been the same since Raph disappeared. You should talk to him; I think he'd like it if you did."

"I may slip in there and say something. I told Casey about all of this and he said that he's keeping an eye out as well. He also told the chief of police to look for any activity."

"Thanks, April… Leo still thinks he walked out on us. I mean, yeah it would be nice to be human but do you really think Raph would just leave us for that?"

April touched his arm and smiled.

"I don't think so. We'll _find_ him, Donnie. I promise. Where's Mikey's room?"

Donnie pointed and April went to find the youngest turtle.

* * *

Mikey was in bed looking at the wall. He replayed everything over and over and he knew that it was his fault. If he hadn't told Raphael about the mutagen, he wouldn't have confronted Leo about it and if he hadn't confronted Leo, he wouldn't have gotten so mad. If Mikey hadn't been eavesdropping in the first place…

"Mikey?"

Mikey turned over and saw April stick her head in. He sat up as she walked in and she sat beside him.

"Hey, April." He said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

She came in and sat next to him.

"I brought you guys some Chinese. It's in the kitchen if you want some."

"Thanks…"

She noticed Raphael's red bandana on the side table and put her hand on Mikey's.

"He'll be alright, Mikey."

"If he was alright, he would have come home. He's _not_ alright, April. I know he's not. There a reason he hasn't come home yet and it's not because he doesn't want to."

"Like I told your brothers, I'm looking for him and Casey said he's looking for him as well. Vern's even looking for him. We can't miss someone like him on any cameras."

Mikey smiled for the first time in a while.

"Yeah. I keep telling him he should pull back on the workouts."

April smiled and put her head on Mikey's shoulder.

"There's the Michelangelo I remember." She stood up. "I have to go but I'll let you guys know if I find anything and let me know if you find anything."

He nodded and watched her leave. He wasn't hungry though and laid back down in his bed.

* * *

"Mike! Mikey! Wake up!"

Mikey opened his eyes wide and found Donatello over him, shaking him.

"What is it?"

"Remember that thing I told you guys about a long time ago that everyone didn't like?"

"You say a lot of things like that…" Mikey mumbled.

Donnie rolled his eyes. "I mean with the tracking."

"Oh, yeah. Leo said he didn't like it because if someone hacked into the liar, they would be able to find us anywhere."

"Right well… I kind of made one anyway."

"You did?" Mikey looked at his arms and legs. "I don't feel a tracker."

"It's not like that. It's a little different than an actual gadget. It's a serum I made that- Never mind. It doesn't matter how it's made just that it works."

Mikey's blue eyes widened. "Did you find Raph?"

"Yeah, I did. But…"

"But what?"

"It looks like he's being held captive. Like I thought."

"Why are you so sure?" he asked.

Donatello held up a contraption with a red blinking light on it.

"Do you see that light?"

"Yeah?"

"That's Raphael's DNA tracker but look at where it's located."

Mikey looked again and saw that it was in an area labeled 'POSSIBLE FOOT CLAN LOCATION'. He looked at Donatello in fear.

"He's been captured by the Foot clan?"

"It appears so. Shredder must have gotten him."

"Or those ugly goons he has. We should tell Leo-"

"Leo doesn't want to help us. He gave up on Raph… _We're_ going to go rescue him."

"Us? You and me?"

"Yes. If Leo is going to give up on one of us then he doesn't deserve to rescue Raph. He was so _sure_ that Raph left us… as if he wanted him to be gone. I don't know about you but that's not very brotherly."

"But if we just suddenly come home with him…"

"Then Leo will just have to deal with it. Mikey, Raph is in danger and is being held by the Foot clan as a hostage. We have to go get him. Are you with me or not?" he said, holding out his hand.

Mikey wanted to help his brother more than anything but leaving Leo out seemed like a very bad idea. But Donnie was right, Leo had made it seem as if he was hoping Raphael was gone for good. He didn't seem like he cared at all about him. Mikey wanted to help his brother more than feed his other brother's ego. He put his hand on Donnie's and smiled.

"Let's go save Raph."

* * *

 **mikey and raph always seemed super close to me. and leo has always seemed a dick to me. i dunno why... anyway, the hunt is on!**

 **ps: i did base april more on the old 90s version april than megan fox. cuz ew**


	2. Chapter 2

**someone mentioned leo not going after raph in the first place and it's because for this story raph is more determined than in the movie. so determined that he actually has leo convinced he will go through with this no matter what happens. so yeah... and i know that that's the catchphrase but i don't know how they exactly use it so... if i used it wrong, let me know.**

* * *

Mikey and Donnie landed on the top of a building and Donnie adjusted his goggles, moving the base of the lenses in and out like binoculars.

"You see him?" Mikey asked, looking ahead.

"I've got his DNA signature but…"

"But what?"

"It looks like we may have some company. Looks like three of them."

"I wanna see." He said, grabbing Donnie's goggles from him.

Donnie slammed into Mikey as he zoomed in on the buildings below him.

"Can I ask a weird question?"

"Can you stop _choking me_?" Donnie gasped.

Mikey looked over. "Oh, my bad."

He let the goggles go and Donnie put them back over his eyes, sighing in relief.

"And sure, what's your question?"

"I know I'm not the smartest one of us but I _do_ remember you talking about those goggle things you're wearing before and you said that it would be useful for us in two ways because it would be able to detect people but people wearing the same things couldn't detect us.

"Right, because as turtles, we are cold blooded and since these are heat vision goggles, people –or animals- that are warm blooded would be spotted but we would blend in with the surroundings."

"Yeah, that part. I saw the three heat things but it was kind of weird that only two of them were walking around. The third one was just sitting there not doing anything."

"So what's your question?"

"Well… doesn't your tracker thing say that Raph is in that building?"

Donnie made a face and then looked at the tracker. Mikey was right in that the DNA tracker said that Raphael was in the building they were looking at but since Raph was a turtle, it would make sense that they didn't see him.

"I'm sure it's just a guard sitting down for a second."

Mikey made a face and shook his head.

"No, I'm telling you that it's different. I feel it… What were you saying earlier about tracking us without actual trackers?"

"The tracking serum? It was a serum that had nanobot tracking devices that connected to the underside of the skin and multiplied itself."

"What do you mean?"

"Well… I guess it's like the way that sand covers the beach. Each grain of sand is no bigger than the point of a needle but together it makes the beach. The nanobots that were in the serum were like that. There weren't that many to begin with but their purpose was to multiply and frame the inside of the body almost like a full internal bodysuit."

"Right but… can you actually see the shape of the little robot things you said were in there?"

"What are you trying to get at, Mike?" Donatello asked.

Mikey rubbed his temples, not fully understanding it himself, but he just had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that things were not as they seemed.

"Okay… For some reason I just feel that that heat thing that's sitting down is… is Raph."

Donatello gaped at him. "That's impossible, Mikey. That would mean he took the mutagen and is… is…"

"Human?"

"Yeah… and Raph would never do that."

"I know! I know… It's just… I've got this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach."

Donnie put his hand on Mikey's shoulder.

"We'll just follow the DNA tracker that's on here, alright? Let's forget about the heat signatures we just saw. The tracker will tell us for definite where Raph is."

Mikey nodded and tightened his mask.

"Right… no matter what, we'll save him."

"Exactly." Donnie said and they headed toward the building.

* * *

Leo looked around the lair but it was quiet… too quiet.

"Donnie? Mike?" he called, looking around for either of the two.

He found the Chinese food hardly touched and the only other noise besides Master Splinter snoring slightly was the sound of water trickling into the sewers. Leo went to Donnie's room and found him not there –as he expected from the silence- but he did come upon a section of Donnie's odd room that had four screens on it. One had a red dot, two had a purple and orange dot next to each other and one had a blue dot. Leo wondered but it was as he walked closer and noticed that all the dots but the red one were moving and the blue one seemed to be going in the same direction he was going in. Leo made a face at that and then watched the two screens with the two dots; he noticed one was following the other. It suddenly occurred to him what the dots were and he clenched his fist.

"Donnie… I _told_ you not to do that!"

Soon, the purple and orange dots were getting closer to the red one and Leo tried to keep his composure, but he just couldn't. He couldn't believe that Donatello and Michelangelo would go on a mission without him, that Donnie would go against his direct order to not make trackers, and that it looked like they were headed towards where Raphael could be. Leo turned and went to find Master Splinter, who was sleeping soundly in the dojo.

"Master Splinter, please wake up. I have important news."

Splinter mumbled for a moment and then sat up.

"Leonardo… what is it my son?"

"Master, there is a serious issue happening right under our noses that we missed."

"Oh? And that is?"

"Donatello and Mikey went off somewhere without telling me… it looks like it may have been to find Raph."

"So it is." He said matter-of-factly.

Leo was puzzled by this response. "What do you mean?"

"I already knew they would be doing this. Ever since your brother has been missing, Donatello has kept me updated on what little he could discern about his disappearance."

"He put trackers on us, Master, after I told him not to."

"I know that as well." Splinter smiled. "You forget, my son, that I see everything and know you boys well."

"But if he knew all about Raph's whereabouts, then why were we fighting?"

"You would not listen to reason. Your brother tried to tell you many times about tracking Raphael but you turned a deaf ear to him. You were so determined and set on thinking that Raphael had left us and would not hear anything else."

"I was only holding up my case."

"You were being belligerent and foolish." Leo flinched at the verbal slap in the face. "You put your selfish thinking before looking at the big picture. It is true that Raphael has a temper and that he wanted to be human, but you are not thinking of your brother as the person he is. Donatello is right: when has Raphael ever stormed out of the lair and not come back or checked in at some point? You did not look at your brother's habits, just your own thoughts about him."

"But I don't understand, Master Splinter. If Donnie had a tracking device on Raph then why didn't he just show me he knew where he was? I would have probably believed him if he had."

"Donatello had told me he had lost sight of Raphael's tracker ever since he went missing. It only just showed up today. He thinks that someone found a way to cloak it, knowing that you three would be looking for him… or, maybe because you were _not_ looking for him is why they finally revealed him."

Leo realized he had made a terrible mistake and Splinter touched his shoulder lovingly.

"Leonardo, you have a great responsibility to uphold as the elder brother as well as the leader of your team. Each of you are different, but with those differences they make you unique. Forcing your brothers to think the way you do or act the way you do, only causes division. Look at what has happened now? Your brothers are on their own trying to find Raphael and were determined not to get you involved. They lost faith in you as a leader but worst of all, as a brother."

"What should I do then, Master Splinter?"

"What do you _think_ you should do?"

Leo sighed and nodded, knowing what he should do.

* * *

Donnie punched the last of the Foot ninjas and looked around at the unconscious bodies. Mikey swung his nunchaku around and took a stance.

"Oh yeah, nothing like a little kick ass to get the blood pumpin'!" he said with a grin.

"Come on, Mikey, Raph's DNA tracker says he's over here in this building."

"Right."

Mikey put his weapons away as Donnie swung his bo staff around and stuck it in his gear on his shell. He adjusted his goggles again and motioned for Mikey to go around the other side to check for anymore Foot ninjas. Donnie got to the door and tried the handle. He didn't think it would be that easy and of course, it was locked. He stepped back when Mikey jumped down beside him.

"All clear so far." He looked at the door. "Raph's in there?"

"Yeah but the door's locked. I'm going to kick it."

"Awesome!"

Donnie breathed in and ran for the door, kicking it open. Mikey cheered as they went inside and a bunch of Foot ninjas turned to look at them. The turtles blinked in confusion.

"Uh… Donnie?"

"Yeah?"

"I thought you said people could be seen by those goggle things."

"They're supposed to…"

"Welcome, Ninja Turtles," a loud Asian voice spoke out with mockery dripping from every word. "We knew you were coming, it was just a matter of time. Although it was longer than expected."

Donnie and Mikey looked up at the balcony over the other ninjas and saw Shredder standing over them.

"Shredder." They both seethed.

"Give us back our brother!" Mikey yelled.

Shredder laughed. "If you want him back you will have to survive. I only see two of you; tell me, where is your leader?"

"We don't need him to come and save our brother." Donatello growled, pulling his bo staff back out.

"How very interesting and how very _noble_." He began to pace a little. "I hope you don't mind my Foot soldiers. They are wearing a particular material that makes them undetectable in heat vision goggles just like a cold blooded animal would be."

"I guess it would match their cold blooded hearts." Mikey grumbled.

"Give us back our brother! We know you have him!"

"Gladly. You just have to get through my soldiers!" Shredder said, laughing as he walked away.

The Foot soldiers all got into their positions and Donnie whipped his bo staff around as Mikey took out his nunchaku. They yelled and ran headlong into the fray.

* * *

Leonardo looked at the watch on his hand and made a face. He was never as tech-savvy as Donatello was but it seemed to be useful in finding where the dots were, since he deduced that they were each of his brothers. All he knew was that Raph's dot hadn't moved ever since he saw it on the screen in the lair and Donnie and Mikey's were jumping everywhere. He figured they were in a fight of some sort and knew he had to get there and help out. _I hope I'm not too late…_ he thought as he landed on a shipping container. He could hear some fighting in a building below him and he ran across the shipping container, jumping around and finally landed on the top of the building. He looked over the edge of the building when Donnie and Mikey burst through the door and started running. At least ten Foot ninjas were following them and Leo drew his katanas, jumping down and eradicating them.

Hearing the sound of steel, Donnie and Mikey turned around to find Leo in the middle of fallen ninjas.

"Leo…" Donnie said, narrowing his eyes at him. "How did you find us?"

"I swiped one of your watch things…" he said, revealing the watch. "Why did you not tell me what you were doing?"

Donnie clenched the bo staff. "You said that Raph left because of his own accord. Why the hell would we ask you to come rescue him?"

Mikey looked between the two and Leo sighed, putting his katanas in their sheaths.

"I'm sorry, Donnie. I… I made a mistake. I wasn't thinking about Raph's character, just what he did. You were right and I was wrong."

"Whoa…" Mikey said, looking at Leo in awe. "Donnie, he just literally said that you were right and he was wrong."

"So I wasn't dreaming?" Donnie said, staring at his oldest brother in awe as well.

Leo made a face. "Knock it off, you two… Donnie, do you see where Raph is?"

Donnie smiled and nodded. "Yeah, he's inside of this building but it's infested with the Foot. We had to get out of there for a second so we could at least recoup."

"Well then, I guess we'll have to go back in and do a little exterminating. What do you say, guys?"

"Cow-a-bunga…" Mikey said with a grin.

* * *

 **cowabunga is meant to be said broken up in syllables for effect. anyhow, yay we're off!**


	3. Chapter 3

**by the way the tunnel is really long and then the others were running, not walking. you'll understand in a minute**

* * *

After defeating most of the Foot ninjas guarding the building, Leo turned to Donnie.

"Is Raph still in this building?"

Donnie looked at the tracker. "Yes but… it looks like his position has changed. Now he's… _under_ us."

"Under us?"

"Yeah, that's what the DNA tracker is saying." Donnie looked around for a second and then saw a door under the stairs. "We need to go in there."

They ran to it and was happy to find it open, so they walked in as Leo felt for the lights. They turned on but all it was was an empty room setup. They looked around for a second and Mikey took in the décor.

"Wow… it's pretty rad in here." He walked over to a table and laughed a little. "Hey guys, look, Shredder has a bobble head…" he said, picking up the small figure.

"Mikey, this is no time for playing around. Donnie, is he still below us?"

"Let me double check." He said, pulling out a small laptop.

Mikey went over and closed the door, locking it just in case, as Donnie furiously typed into the computer.

"Got it. Yeah, it says he's still below us and he's moving."

Leo looked around. "That means that there is a switch somewhere in this room. Let's look for it."

They searched the room when Leo moved a picture that was crooked. The sound of something releasing clicked and the room started to move downward.

"It's an elevator shaft…" Donnie said, typing on his computer. "I didn't think the whole room was one…"

"Mikey, you alright?" Leo asked, noticing his brother looked a little distracted.

"I just have this bad feeling… Hey, Donnie can you still see him in your heat vision goggles?"

Donnie looked down and saw a figure looking like it was struggling against other people. Something must have struck it because it arched in a painful way and Donnie gulped, looking away.

"I can see someone being taken away…" He looked at the tracker. "And Raph's tracker is moving."

Leo looked between the two. "What's going on?"

"We're turtles, so we shouldn't be able to be seen through heat vision goggles but… ever since we got here, Raph's tracker has corresponded with a heat signature… one he shouldn't have."

Leo narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying he could be human?"

"We don't know. Even if that's the case, the heat signature I just saw didn't look like they were walking along pleasantly but being forced to move. Whoever it is, they're in trouble, and if Raph is with them…"

"We'll figure it out on the way. Mikey, most likely when we stop, there will be Foot waiting for us. You leave the fighting to me and Donnie and go on ahead. Find Raph."

Mikey nodded and the elevator stopped. As predicted the Foot were waiting and Mikey barreled through, following the dot that was on the device that Donnie had given him.

* * *

With the Foot soldiers occupied with his brothers, Mikey followed the dot down the long winding tunnel. Every now and then a random Foot ninja would jump out but he would deal with them quickly and then look back at the tracker. It seemed like forever since he had come down the tunnel of sorts and Raph's dot hadn't moved from the spot that it had settled on before. He couldn't hear the fighting from his brothers so all was quiet and quite eerie.

"Uh huh, this my shit. All the girls stamp your feet like this. Few times I been around that track, so it's not just gonna happen like that. Cause I ain't no hollaback girl, I ain't not hollaback girl…" he started, trying to make light of the dismal tunnel and the stillness of the dot.

Then again, the fact that the dot wasn't moving meant that wherever Raph was was where he was going to stay.

After what seemed like hours, Mikey finally got to the end of the tunnel and came to a door. The dot showed that Raph was behind it and he sighed, putting the device in his shell to give back to Donnie. He opened the door and looked around, but it was pitch black inside. He took out his nunchaku just in case any Foot were… well, afoot, and walked further in.

"Hello?" he called out softly.

The sound of metal scraping made Mikey jump and he looked around.

"Who's there?"

No one answered him and he fumbled for a flashlight, trying not to be as scared as he was. He wasn't scared of the dark or even if Foot ninjas jumped out at him but he knew someone was there and he couldn't see them. The unknown scared him just a little.

"Come out and face me!" he yelled, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Hello?" a voice no louder than a whisper responded.

Mikey turned. "Who's there?"

The door suddenly busted open and a light shone in Mikey's eyes.

"Mikey, you here?" he heard Donatello ask.

"Yeah, I am. Why are you guys here? I thought you were going to take care of the ninjas?"

"We took care of most of them but we had to get out of there. Did you find Raph yet?"

"No, I just got in here a little bit ago. There's someone in here though and I mean, not us."

Donatello grabbed a flashlight and started shining it around the room. He moved it about when he landed on a cage in the corner of the room.

"Hey, there's someone in that cage."

Leo looked behind him from the door and then walked over to his brother, looking in the direction of the light of the flashlight. There, they saw a dirty bare foot and what looked like a shackle was attached to the ankle. Mikey pulled out the device Donnie had let him borrow and opened it back up, looking at the cage. He closed it and walked over to it.

"Mikey, stop." Leo said.

Mikey didn't listen and knelt in front of the cage, looking in.

"Mikey?" Donnie said softly.

"Mi… key…?" a voice said from the cage.

Donnie and Leo ran over and knelt beside their youngest brother, looking into the cage with him. Leo narrowed his eyes.

"Donnie, get this cage opened."

"Right."

Donnie set to opening the cage as Mikey just stared at the person inside. They stared at him too and Mikey slowly pulled the device out one last time. He moved it in front of his eyesight and looked at the dots on the screen. All four colors were present.

"Do you think he knows where Raph is?"

"He _is_ Raph." Mikey said. Leo and Donnie turned to him and he handed over the device. "All four colors are here."

Donnie stopped trying to open the cage and looked at the screen, his mouth opening in surprise. Leo looked over his shoulder at the dots and then looked at the young man in the cage. He narrowed his eyes again.

"Mikey, this isn't Raph. Have you lost your mind?"

"How can you say that?!" he yelled, getting uncharacteristically angry with his oldest brother. "Donnie put that DNA tracker in us and the DNA tracker says that this kid is Raphael. All the dots are here, Leo!"

A wet sounding cough took them all off guard and they knelt down again, looking at the young man in the cage. Donnie looked down and realized that there was a pool of blood coming from the cage and he followed it to the kid. His brown eyes widened and he set to opening it up as quickly as possible.

"It doesn't matter if it's Raph or someone else, he's bleeding pretty badly."

Donnie focused on getting the lock undone and finally it popped open. He pulled the cage open and went to try and get the young man out but stopped, his green skin seeming to pale. Leo put his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Donnie?"

"I can't… I can't do it…" he said, pulling out of the cage.

Leo decided he should get the kid out and ducked into the cage only to be met by the same horror that had struck Donatello. The boy was a teenager, about the same age as the turtles, with dark brown hair that was plastered to his head with sweat and blood. His body was covered in bruises upon bruises and gashes and scars, wounds that hadn't healed up. There was a particularly nasty slash on his arm that seemed like it could be infected and as Leo looked over the poor naked boy, he found the source of all the blood and saw it was trickling from an open wound the boy was trying to keep closed with his hands. His ankles were shackled to chains that were attached to the bottom of the cage but seemed to be able to pull the chains in and out. Chains were on his wrists as well as one on his neck.

As Leonardo traveled up the young man's body, he got more and more angry and disgusted. Shredder was a horrible guy, he knew this, but to do this to a kid like this one… He finally met the boy's eyes and Leo was taken aback by the blazing green that were looking at him lazily. He shook his head and began to try and figure out how to get the boy out of the chains.

"Do you know if there is a key?" he asked the boy, hoping he was still cognizant enough to let them know that much.

He flicked his eyes outside of the cage and Leo turned, looking in the direction he had motioned to.

"Donnie, see if you can find me a key over there somewhere. Mikey, find me something to wrap him in and something to press against the wound."

The two turtles did as told as Leo crouched down in the small cage and tried to move the boy to where he could assess damage. He went to turn him over but he screamed out so Leo decided not to touch him.

"I have a key." Donnie said, coming back.

Leo grabbed it and started to unlock the binds on the boy. When he unlocked the shackles, the chains pulled them into the floor quickly and Leo reached over to grab one. He couldn't believe how heavy it was! The chains had to be at least twenty pounds pulling. He ignored the chains again and unlocked the shackle about his neck. Free of the chains, Leo reached for the boy again, pulling him over to his back.

He coughed, blood spattering Leo's face and then he gave a smile that caught Leo by surprise. It wasn't even really the smile, but the way the smile made the cut on his upper lip seem accentuated.

"You're here…" he softly.

Mikey handed him some sheets through the bars and he began to wrap the young man up.

"We'll take you to the hospital."

"No!" he yelled with a mixture of pain. "Home…"

"You're very badly injured. We still need to find our brother-"

"Home… Leo… home… home…" he started repeating, his body starting to convulse.

Donnie suddenly got into his rare doctor modes and grabbed Leo to pull out of the cage.

"He's going into shock. We need to get him home now."

"Donnie, if we take him to the hospital-"

"He doesn't _belong_ in a hospital. Don't you get it? It's Raphael, we found him."

Leo still didn't believe that the boy could ever be his large, short tempered brother but things seemed to be pointing directly at him. For now, he would go along with his brothers but if he felt that there was something suspicious, he would immediately throw the kid out. _But if it **is** Raph, he has a lot of explaining to do._

* * *

 **could it be raph? whoever it is, poor thing eh? and even though he says their names, he heard the other turtles say who they were so it could or could not be raph but everyone's convinced it is... except leo of course... debbie downer...**


	4. Chapter 4

**i've always thought that donnie was super duper smart so... yeah... just letting you know. and leo... such a douche!**

* * *

Carrying the half conscious kid back to the sewers was harder than expected. He was dripping blood, leaving a trail behind them that Mikey volunteered to cover up, which took even more time. Leo was torn between giving up on the kid or convincing the two to dump him off at the nearest hospital, which was closer than the sewers by far. Jumping and doing any type of parkour movement was almost impossible, since it jostled the dead and very bloody weight that Donnie insisted on carrying. Mikey had wanted to but when Leo told him about the chains and if the kid really _was_ Raph, he would be more than Mikey could handle.

Leo vaulted across a rooftop and landed on one below. Mikey met him as Donnie stopped at the ledge. Leo watched him as he calculated the jump and looked like he didn't want to do it.

"Donnie, we don't have all day!" he hissed in the night.

"That far of a jump will probably kill him!" Donnie yelled back. "I can't jump from here."

"Then climb down!"

"There's a 20ft gap between buildings!"

Leo fumed. "If you had just taken him to the hospital like I said-"

"We _can't,_ like I said. He's Raph."

"He's not Raph! Stop that!" he growled. "The hospital is a block away and we can climb up the side and deposit him in a wheelchair in the hallway or something. Someone will find him."

"You're heartless!"

"I'm not heartless! I'm practical. We can stand here and argue all night on a rooftop or you can do the jump or you can climb down. I'm not going to stand here all day for you to figure it out."

"Leo, look." Mikey said, pointing to a corner of the building they were on.

Mikey looked and saw long piece of cloth from where it had covered something and he looked at Mikey.

"What are you thinking?"

"Well, if you tie one end of the cloth over here and I go back over and tie it over there, then we can slide Raph down the cloth, where you can catch him, and then Donnie and I can jump over no problem."

Leo looked at the cloth and then up at Donnie and sighed.

"Whatever gets us home…"

Mikey fist pumped the air and grabbed the cloth. Leo tied one end of it to a jutting air vent and Mikey grabbed the other end, jumping back onto the other building and climbing up to Donnie. Luckily the cloth was long enough and he opened it up slightly to make a chute out of it. Donnie gently put the boy in the chute and they carefully shimmied his unconscious body towards Leo.

As the boy got closer, the cloth dipped dangerously in the middle and Leo dipped his side down a little so that he could compensate when his end untied itself (due to bulkiness) and the boy tumbled out of the cloth. Donnie screamed and Leo jumped after the boy, swooping in and catching him as he slammed into the original building, holding onto a window ledge with one hand. The boy let out a gag and Leo felt blood run into his shell and down his arm. _Dammit…_ he thought as he tried to propel himself from the ledge.

Donnie and Mikey scaled the building and Donnie held out his hand to his brother.

"Hand him to me. We'll just walk."

"He's damaged to shit now. There's nothing more we can do to beat him up. _I'll_ carry him just help me off this ledge and onto the building."

Donnie nodded and he and Mikey helped Leo get to the other ledge. Leo glared at his brothers and then looked at the boy in his arms, shaking and blood oozing from his mouth.

"If he dies, I'm blaming the both of you, do you understand?"

The two nodded and they went on towards home.

* * *

The three entered the lair and Donnie immediately ran to his room to set up some equipment he had 'conveniently' taken from the hospital supply closet. He set up an IV stand and was in complete caretaker mode. Mikey went to go get Master Splinter while Leo went to Raph's room and set the boy on his bed. The sheets immediately stained red and Leo stepped back, watching the boy for a minute. Donnie came in and quickly began to attach things to the boy and then stuffed as much gauze as he could into the wound.

"If he needs that much gauze then he's going to have to be operated on. Who's going to do that?"

Donnie wasn't paying attention as he set the drip for the IV and made sure it was in place on the boy's bloody hand. He left and brought back an oxygen tank (again, conveniently taken from the hospital) and set up a breathing tube.

"How do you even know how to do this?"

"Free time. Unlike you, who stays in the dojo to practice 24/7, or Mikey, who keeps looking up cat videos, I go to the hospitals and watch how they work. _Someone_ had to have some medical knowledge around here and since I have equipment and stuff from the hospital-"

"That you stole."

"That I _conveniently took_ , I studied up on how they worked and how to use them."

"But we're turtles so looking at regular hospitals isn't the same."

"Yes it is." He said, pausing for a moment to stick a trach tube down the boy's throat, flashlight on his goggles pointed straight in the boy's face. "Because of our height, weight and overall physical development, we are more like humans than turtles. True, the same medicines can't be used, but the process is much the same. Hand me that tube over there."

Leo handed him the tube and he connected it to the trach tube in the boy's mouth. He sighed and moved away from the bed for a second, turning off his flashlight and wiping his brow.

"Now… the hard part…"

"Why didn't you just take him to the _hospital_?!" Leo growled. "You're not a surgeon! You can't do anything to help him!"

"Yes, I can. I'm _better_ than a surgeon. You may not have faith in what I do or care about what I do, but I do _a lot_ for us. I invent things that you don't even know about for our protection, but what do you care? It doesn't go with what _you_ want so it doesn't matter. Well because I put those trackers in us, I can save Raph. So get out."

"What do you mean?"

Donnie didn't answer, just shoved his brother out of the room and left Leo standing in the hallway.

Mikey came with Master Splinter in tow and Leo looked up. He pointed to the door.

"Master Splinter, please tell Donnie that he can't fix him. I told him to take the kid to the hospital but he wouldn't listen and-"

"Donatello knows what he's doing."

Leo gawked at his master. "Dad! Donnie knows nothing-"

"You underestimate your brother very much, Leonardo. He has made many things to improve your lives but you have refused them. The DNA trackers are very inventive and come in handy for more than just tracking."

"What do you mean?"

"They are made of nanobots that line the inside of the body but, Donatello can control each of them as if they were their own computer. The nanobots can also do many things individually and he can help Raphael with his wounds by repairing them from the inside."

Leo was still amazed at his master.

"You… you believe he's Raph too?"

"The evidence suggests a high percentage of the boy being Raphael. I haven't been able to see him yet but once Donatello is finished, I will look him over myself."

Leo breathed in and turned from the door.

"I'll be in the dojo."

Mikey and Splinter watched him go and Mikey looked at his father.

"Why is he being so cranky?"

"Sometimes those who think practically cannot understand that improbability can happen. It makes very little sense to them and so they try to disregard it altogether."

Mikey nodded and they waited for Donnie to finish.

* * *

After hours of painstakingly controlling at least 4000 individual nanobots to clamp vessels that were bleeding, cauterize others, removing infection from the main wound, removing fluid and blood from the lungs, moving the rib back into place, 'soldering' the rib back together (since it was broken), and many other things. The boy's vitals were on point and back to normal and he was no longer bleeding. Donnie pulled off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes but was happy with the results. The recovery time would take a couple of weeks but the boy was good as new.

Now came the moment of truth for him. He put his glasses back on and took a cotton swab, dabbing it in some liquid and then grabbing Raphael's bandana. He swabbed the inside of it and then grabbed another cotton swab and rubbed it in the blood that was pretty much everywhere. He put it in a machine and waited. He watched as the DNA sequences pulled up and put itself together when another window flashed up on the screen and Donnie sighed.

"Perfect match…" he said with a smile.

* * *

 **yay! it's raph! but what will come from this revelation? will leo be able to accept scientific fact?**

 **btw, nanobots are wonderful because they really are mini mini mini computers than can be programmed to do more than one thing. i see them with little arms and legs and shit... imagine how you will...**


	5. Chapter 5

**sorry for the name change of the story. i just didn't like it.**

* * *

Donnie pulled the thermometer from Raph's mouth and checked the temperature. He frowned since it was still a little high for a human. He had looked up the regular temperature for a human and with it being at 100.1°, he had a fever. He chocked it up to fighting off the trauma to his body and the infection. Although he had used the nanobots to rid Raph of the infection caused by the last wound he had received, there was still an infection from previous wounds he had received and since they were already circulating through his body, Donnie couldn't get that out. The main thing was the keep Raph alive and keep up with his vitals.

Raph suddenly coughed and Donnie quickly ran over to him, pulling out the trach tube so that he could spit up whatever he needed to get out. A trail of thick blood seeped out of his mouth but Donnie could tell it was mixed with fluid from his lungs. Because of that, he needed to keep the trach tube in since his lungs weren't in the best of working order, but all that did was mess Raph's throat up something fierce.

"I guess having a sore throat versus death is a good thing, right?" he asked the unconscious kid.

Donnie wiped the fluid away and carefully stuck the tube back down his throat to his lungs. Carrying the fluid in the rag, Donnie pulled out another swab and took a sample of it. He put it into the computer and was happy to see that the DNA still matched and that the percentage of blood in the fluid was down by 6%. It wasn't much, but it was better than it had been.

It had been about three days since they rescued Raphael from Shredder's lair. After Donnie patched Raph up, he didn't want anyone coming into the room for a little while until he was positive that he was Raph. This third test proved true once more and Donnie smiled. He got up and opened the door, running straight into Mikey.

"Oh… I was about to see if you were hungry or something." He said, holding up a tray with pizza on it.

"Thanks. I was actually about to get something."

Mikey looked around his brother at the bed.

"Can… can we see him? Is it Raph?"

Donnie smiled. "100%."

Mikey brightened and he pushed Donnie out of the way.

"Be careful. He's still recovering."

Mikey smiled and held his brother's hand. He blinked for a second and then took in the flesh hand, peachy and so tiny.

"I never thought my hands would be bigger than Raph's…" he said softly.

"Me neither. Holding him on the way back was so odd. I've never been able to even defeat Raph in mock combat but carrying him around like he was nothing?"

"They why didn't you let me carry him some?"

"Because he was dead weight. He's lighter than he would be but as dead weight he was probably the same."

Mikey nodded. "He's warm."

"Well he's a human now but he actually has a fever. He still has some infection in him from previous wounds."

"What kind of wounds did you find?"

"Well, while I was fixing the recent one I found a broken rib, fluid in the lungs, and that second infection. He's coming along though… There were a lot of superficial wounds, whip marks, chain burns and other cuts and bruises."

Mikey looked back at his older brother and smiled a little.

"He's in good hands though. I trust you, Donnie."

"Thanks. Would you mind watching him? I really need to clean up. I've been so worried about him that I haven't left his side."

"Sure thing!"

Donnie left and Mikey watched Raph like a hawk.

* * *

Donnie went into the shower stalls and grabbed the scrub brush to lather up when Leo walked in. Donnie looked up but didn't say anything and Leo walked past him to the other stall. Splinter had figured out a way to make gym-like stalls where they were and Donnie rerouted the water to them only when they turned their faucets on, which wasn't often. Leo turned the water on and started washing himself off.

"How's the kid?" Leo asked after a few moments.

" _Raph_ is doing fine. He's in recovery."

"Donnie-"

"I did a DNA test on him three times to make sure and it's Raph, whether you like it or not. Face it, Leo, you were wrong."

"Fine…"

"Will you come and see him?"

"What for? I'm sure you have it under control."

"Stop doing this! Stop it! It's Raph! We don't know why it happened but it's him. Until we can get him back to normal, it will still be him no matter what we do. Human or turtle, he's still our brother! The least you can do is be there when he wakes up or something. If it were you he'd be there. He'd probably still be at Shredder's trying to kick someone's ass for what they did to you. Why can't you be there for him?"

Leo turned off the shower and walked out of the stall to his towel. He dried off the outside of his shell and body and then sucked in to dry the inside. When he popped out, he looked at the white towel that was stained with blood from when the kid- _No… Raph, I guess…_ had practically vomited blood into his shell. Donnie looked back and gasped.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. This is Raph's blood from the other day. He got it in my shell. I forgot about it."

Donnie made a face. "That's gross…"

"I was distracted and just trying to keep him from dying. Then all that with him being Raph and stuff… I haven't had time to think."

Donnie nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry, I understand…"

Leo sighed and threw the towel in the basket.

"He's really Raph?"

"Yeah… I know it's hard to believe but it is."

Leo nodded. "I hope you can get him back."

"It's a matter of finding some more of that stuff than it is getting him back to normal. If I get the ooze, we get him back. If we don't… well… we'll have to find another way."

Leo nodded and Donnie continued to wash.

* * *

 **yay leo kinda believes that raph is raph. sorry it's so short.**


	6. Chapter 6

**sorry for the delay. unfortunately this will be one of those stories that i have to be in the particular mood for or it will turn out like shit. but here you are and enjoy!**

* * *

 _"Maybe I **do** want to be human! Maybe I would like to go out into the open air once in a while and get the credit that I deserve! We go all around this city saving people's lives but we can't even show them our faces!"_

 _"It doesn't matter if they see us or not, Raph, it just matters that we are helping people out. You know we can't show our faces to the world." Leo argued._

 _"But with this we can! Don't you see the potentials of what could be done! We could finally be **human**! We can go out amongst the world, live normally, and get the credit we deserve. We can help people without worrying if they'll tell the government or be in fear of us."_

 _"No, Raph! End of story! We're not going after that mutagen. Just leave it alone and we'll figure out what their plan is."_

 _Leo turned away and Raph glared at his brother's shell. He was furious. It was a long shot, yes, but it was a shot at least. They could be human! They wouldn't have to hide anymore… Raph breathed in and turned around._

 _"Where are you going?" Leo called._

 _Raph turned back to him. "I don't want to be stuck down here all of my life. I want to see the sun, I want to be around people, I want to save someone and have them look me in the eye and thank me."_

 _"April does that all the time, bro." Mikey said._

 _"You know what I mean!" he growled. " **I** want to be normal for once… So that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to go find that mutagen."_

* * *

"Whoa, hey… Calm down, you must have been having a dream…"

The voice was familiar but different. Something cool but slightly damp was touching his face and he finally opened his eyes, being met with a pair of hazel ones behind thick glasses staring back at him.

"Donnie?" he mumbled, his throat sore.

A grin appeared, the white teeth contrasting with the green skin.

"I'm so happy you're awake, Raph!" he said as he pushed his glasses up.

 _Yup, that's Donnie._ Raph thought. He suddenly stiffened and began to look around.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"Back at home. We went looking for you and even Leo came. You're pretty banged up…"

Raph went to reach out to Donnie but saw his peachy skin and flinched, slinging his hand for a second.

"What are you doing?"

"My hand…"

Donnie took hold of it and Raph's hand was eclipsed by his brother's hand, which had never happened before.

"Raph, you… you know you're human, right?"

"Human?" he asked in confusion. Then he remembered what had happened and pulled his hand from Donnie's. "Oh… yeah… I… I forgot…"

"What happened, Raph? I mean, why would you do it?"

Remembering it when he didn't want it to be brought up was bad enough but trying to pull it up of his own free will wasn't going to happen.

"I didn't do anything… I realized after I got there that I didn't want it but… I got caught and things happened."

Donnie nodded, seeing that his brother didn't want to remember.

"That's okay, Raph."

"No… it's not… I'm human now."

Donnie got up to go to his computer. "Doesn't matter to me, or to Mikey. We're just glad you're safely back and getting better. That's really all that matters."

Raph wanted to argue but he was so tired and beat and sore.

Donnie wiped a small tear from his eye. He had pulled two all-nighters, fighting for Raph after a dream he had had almost caused him to die of terrors (and ripping open wounds), so his lack of sleep was making his emotions more vulnerable than usual. Just hearing Raphael's voice, scratchy and slightly less of a bass, was sweet music to his ears. He took off his glasses and wiped them off and then looked behind him. Raph had fallen back to sleep but looked very unpleasant, as if he were having another dream. Donnie decided he should tell everyone that Raph was awake.

* * *

"Thanks a lot, Mikey, now we have to do the Hashi again." Leo growled as he balanced on a large ball with one finger, a stack of plates resting on one foot in the air.

"You didn't have to come with me." Mikey said, as he wobbled from his position doing the four-squat on the back of a rocking horse while balancing four books on his head.

"April had said that there had been a lot of Foot Clan activity ever since we rescued him from their hideout and Master Splinter told us to stay in."

"But Donnie said he needed more gauze and some aspirin. And stop calling Raph just 'him'. You know he's Raph. Why are you doing this again?"

"I have my reasons, Mikey. Don't try to change the subject."

"You do not seem to be meditating on what you have done, Leonardo, Michelangelo…" Splinter said as he walked around the two. He whipped his tail out to rock the rocking horse quickly. "It would not be a punishment if you did not reflect on how you got here."

"I understand, Master." Leo said.

"But it was for Raph!" Mikey yelled, starting to lose his balance.

"Even so, you could have called Ms. O'Neil to bring it to you instead of risking your lives."

"Raph would have done the same."

"You are right, Michelangelo, he would have and when he did, he would be right here with you." He smiled at his sons. "I understand that you wanted to help him but Donatello didn't know about the curfew since he has been caring for Raphael. He asked you to get those things because he did not know. You cannot put the blame on him for your insolence."

"Yes, Master Splinter…" Mikey said sadly.

"Um…" They all looked over, Mikey falling off and the books pelting him in the head. "He woke up."

"What?!" Mikey yelled, sitting up.

"But he's asleep again. He's really weak so it will take him a while to get back to normal. He knows who we are, so that's good."

"Why wouldn't he know?" Leo asked.

"Shredder could have wiped his memory or something but he knew who I was. Then again, that's not to say he doesn't remember us all but I think he does. I mean, when he was in the cage he knew our names pretty well."

Mikey ran past Donnie as he looked at Leo.

"You don't seem in a rush?"

"I'm being punished for your supplies, although I'm not blaming you. April said there's been a large activity of Foot ever since we rescued that kid- _Raph_ and Master Splinter put us on a curfew. Mikey was going to go out anyway so I had to make sure he was alright and we got your supplies."

Donnie frowned. "You could have just told me about the curfew. I would have called April and asked her to bring the supplies."

"Well, you know Mikey."

Donnie made a face but grabbed the pile of supplies he had needed and went back to his room.

* * *

Mikey watched his brother sleep, still in complete awe over his transformation into a human. It looked like Raph in some ways but didn't in others. The hair was new but it was almost like seeing him with a permanent bandana on so it wasn't that odd. The only odd thing about it was that it was slightly long and wispy, a strange brownish red color. His muscles were toned down to fit his new body but he was still pretty bulky, despite the bruises and scratches and scars. He was happy to see his old scars were still visible, like the one over his lip and upon further examination, he saw the tattoo that he had received for his chi mastery. _He's still Raph…_ Mikey thought happily.

He then leaned Raph to his side to check something.

"What are you doing?"

Mikey gasped and let his brother go as Raph looked at him with tired but annoyed eyes.

"You're awake!"

"How can I go to sleep with you staring at me like that?" he grumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"Donnie said you woke up! I came to make sure you were okay and see ya… and stuff…"

Raph smiled. "Thanks, Mikey…"

"You're so peachy… are you fuzzy too? Do you have little hairs?" he asked as he reached out to touch his arm.

Upon reflex, Raph jerked his arm away from his brother and Mikey stopped midair.

"Dude, I'm sorry…"

"It's not you." He said, looking away.

Mikey nodded but he knew his brother well and he wouldn't want his brothers (especially him) to make a fuss over his PTSD.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Mikey asked dramatically.

Raph turned to him and seeing his youngest brother's effort to thwart pity, he had to smile.

"I mean, if it's the mask I can wash it. I can try that deodorant thing that humans wear…" his brother continued, trying to look serious.

Usually Mikey's antics made Raphael mad because it annoyed him so much. The kid couldn't take anything seriously. But for once, his baby brother's natural joking attitude was what he needed most to forget what had happened, forget the pain. He suddenly started laughing, which hurt his wounds.

Mikey watched his usually tough and no-nonsense brother start laughing at his silly joke. As he watched him though, he realized that he really wasn't laughing, he was _crying_. Michelangelo was not the sharpest of the four turtles and he liked to keep it that way. His brothers didn't think he took anything seriously but _someone_ needed to liven the mood and he had designated himself as that person. Leo had taken it seriously (as Leo often does) and Mikey truly knew that his oldest brother thought he was a complete moron. Donnie could see what Mikey was doing but was usually too wrapped up in his technology to pay any deeper mind to the issue. Raph, on the other hand, knew what he was trying to accomplish. They'd spent many a nights on the top of buildings just looking over the city talking about different things. He had a tighter connection with his second oldest brother than the others and he knew Raph felt the same with him.

Seeing him in such a strange state emotionally, where he didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cry, told Mikey that there was more to what had happened than Raph would ever let on. Whether it was the torture or something else, Mikey could see his brother was breaking. He reached out slowly and wiped stray tear from his brother's cheek, feeling the odd warmth there.

"Well, the only good thing about this is that for the first time you're naturally warm."

Raph laughed again as he wiped his tears away and sniffled, trying to get his bearings back.

"Don't you dare tell anyone."

"Why would I want to embarrass you like that?" he said with a knowing grin. But he digressed. "I'll do it when you're back to normal, when it's all behind us and we can laugh about it, okay?"

"Yeah…"

"And Raph?" He looked up. "Just know that… that I'm gonna be here for you. I know you don't, like, show your feelings and stuff but if you just need to talk or something, I'm here. I know that you can't keep this to yourself forever so just… trust me okay?"

"I've always trusted you, Mike. You get under my shell a lot but I've always trusted you."

Just hearing those words, Mikey was on Cloud 9 for the rest of the night.

* * *

Donnie went into the makeshift dojo where he could hear Leonardo fighting. He walked in as Leo finished his reps and he looked over.

"Donnie."

"Have you seen Raph yet? Master Splinter is in there now but we're going to have to cut out the visits for the night so he can start recovering better."

"I can see him tomorrow, no biggie." He said, wiping sweat off his face.

Donnie moved his jaw a bit. "You're doing it again."

"What?"

"Distancing yourself from him."

"You just said he needed to recuperate."

"Leo, why are you being like this? Do you still think it's not Raph?"

"We already put this to rest, Donatello." He said angrily. "Enough."

"I won't put it to rest until you tell me something plausible! If you believe that it's Raph then why won't you come and at least say 'welcome back'? It would mean a lot to him."

"I can do that later."

Donnie wanted to hurt his brother more than anything but then he realized what the issue was.

"You still think he did this on his own."

"What?"

" _That's_ what's bothering you. You still think that he did this himself and in the process got himself caught by Shredder." Donnie's eyes widened. "You think he _deserved it_ , don't you?"

"That is a preposterous thought."

"No… not for you it isn't. You admitted you were wrong about him being kidnapped but you still think Raph turned himself into a human before he was taken."

"Well what am I supposed to think, Donnie!" he yelled. He pointed out the door. "You see what I see! He's a human! What do you _want_ me to think? That Shredder did it?"

"Isn't that a possibility? We're his #1 enemy, so what better way to defeat us than by tearing us apart? What better way to defeat us than by bringing us down a person? Even when Raph recovers, we both know that he can't do what he used to. Being a turtle has its advantages and we can't risk Raph getting hurt again. So we'll be three instead of four strong and Shredder knows that. He also knows that turning Raph into a human would put doubt into our minds, causing a rift to form."

"It's not about that, Donnie. Just let it go. I'll go see Raph when I want to…"

Donnie set his jaw and adjusted his glasses.

"You're a bad brother, Leonardo."

Leo watched his brother leave. He let out a yell and punched the wall as hard as he could, breaking a few fingers.

* * *

 **1) everyone mentions a dojo... i'm assuming it's a makeshift dojo because for real? in the sewers?**

 **2) it seems to me that people take mikey for granted. he seems pretty in tune with all of his brothers and would be able to know what to do to try and make them happy or get them out of a funk.**

 **3) i've mentioned it before but i wanted to remind everyone that although i have always like TMNT, i have never gotten a chance to watch all the shows, just the new movies. my impression of leo has always been that big brother know it all type and my least fave turtle so... excuse my bias on his personality haha**


	7. Chapter 7

**i swear i'll stop after this chapter in regards to raph. it's just... too fun. anyway, enjoy!**

 **also, it may seem like it's going quick but the skips are actually longer periods of time. this isn't all in one day. probably a span of three or four.**

* * *

Donnie drew blood from Raph as he laid in the bed, breathing rapidly. Every breath he took was shaky and seemed to take all of his strength. Donnie felt so stupid. After pull two all-nighters to fix his brother with the nanobots on the inside, he had pretty much passed out at his desk as the adrenaline wore off and fatigue set in. When he woke up, he noticed that Raph's skin was pale and he was sweating profusely. During his long overdue nap, Donnie hadn't been paying attention to the small infection that was cycling through his brother from previous wounds. While he was awake, he had been curbing the symptoms but without constant care, the infection had gotten worse and Donnie feared he was in way over his head.

Raph watched his younger brother with weak, but patient eyes. He trusted Donnie with his life (considering the circumstances) and he knew that this was just a curve in the trail. Donnie finally got enough blood and took the needle out of Raph's arm.

"Why…" he tried, his throat dry and weak. "Why do you… need so much… blood…?"

"I'm going to be running some different tests on it to find out where the infection is going. I believe you have what humans call 'sepsis'; it means that the bacteria from the infection has gotten into your blood stream."

Donnie rolled his chair over to the computer as he pushed blood into different trays.

"I assume that's bad?" Raph asked.

"I read up on this in medical journals and… well… there's not a good survival rate."

Raph laughed and Donnie looked at him.

"This isn't funny, Raph."

"I'm laughing at the irony." He said softly.

Donnie sighed and began doing scans of his brother's blood. He didn't have a lot of time to fiddle fart around. Raph's life was now literally on the line. Physical wounds were something Donnie could deal with because he could see where to fix it. Mental and otherwise infections seemed to not be his forte, as he was beginning to find out. His poor brother was still suffering trauma from his physical change from a six foot turtle to a six foot human, recovering from beatings and breaks and stab wounds, secret mental trauma (that Donnie knew his brother had but Raph would never admit to), and now an infection in the blood? Donnie suddenly laughed too and pushed his glasses up onto his forehead.

"What?" Raph asked.

"I'm doing the same thing you're doing: laughing at the irony."

He cleared his throat, grabbing his composure, and began to look further into what he should do for his brother.

* * *

April waited in the alley, looking at her watch. She had to meet up with Casey soon to do some spying and see if they could locate some more of the ooze that Raph had gone to find. She had heard about the rescue and that he had turned human, but not by his own hand. Mikey asked her to help find some ooze so they could turn him back and she agreed.

"April." She heard behind her.

She turned and saw Donnie coming from the manhole. She took off the backpack that she had on and set it on the ground, unzipping it.

"You don't know what I had to do to get this." She said.

Donnie knelt down to look into the backpack and smiled. IV bags, tubing, and antibiotics in liquid form as well as pill form.

"These are the ones I told you, right? Amoxicillin?"

"Yeah. The pills were easy but the liquid was the hard part. You _really_ don't know what I had to do to get this."

"I owe you a lot, April. I'd stay and chat but I have to get back to Raph or he could get too far gone."

"How is he?"

"Despite my stupidity in letting the infection I detected earlier seep into his blood and cause sepsis, he seems in pretty good spirits. There will be lots of trauma coming soon, I know it. No one, not even Raphael, could go through the stuff he went through and come out unscathed. He tries to keep a brave face but I have a feeling that he'll breakdown sooner or later."

"When he's better I'll have to come and see him."

Donnie nodded and slung the backpack over his shoulder. He turned to leave but then turned back.

"April?"

"Yeah?"

"If… if something happens and we _can't_ find the ooze… will you promise me something?"

April looked at him in concern. "Sure, I'll do what I can…"

"Promise that… that if Raph has to stay human, that you'll help him out. You'll be there for him and… and make sure that he's okay as a human."

April touched Donnie's arm. "We'll find the ooze, Donnie. There has to be a way to get at least _some_ of it, if not all. Don't jump to failure just yet."

Donnie nodded. "Right… Thanks again."

He left to go back to his brother.

* * *

When Donnie entered back into the lair, Leo met him at the entrance.

"Where have you been?" he asked a little sternly.

"Getting help for our brother, obviously."

"Mikey said that Raph's not doing well."

Donnie ran past him and into his room, where Mikey was touching a wet cloth to Raph's forehead, Raphael breathing rapidly and looking worse that before. Mikey looked up and then stood.

"Dude! Where have you been?! I came to check on Raph and he was like this!"

"Damn it!" Donnie yelled, practically throwing the backpack at his brother. "I need you to take out those things and set those bags up on the IV stands."

"What's an IV stand?" Mikey asked, unzipping the backpack.

"That funky looking metal thing over there." Donnie said discursively as he checked his brother's fingers to make sure that they hadn't started to discolor.

He was lucky on the fingers and he moved to his toes. Luck was definitely with him in that regard and Mikey walked over.

"Okay, I got them on there. I don't know what was what…"

"No time. I need your help. You're going to be my nurse, Mikey."

"Do I get to wear a skirt?"

"Not the time." Donnie growled, setting up the IVs. "Just listen to what I say and we can get Raph back to normal."

"Aye, aye, Doc." Mikey said with a salute.

* * *

Leo was at the camera wall looking at all of the cameras in the city to try and see if he could find any disturbances. He heard someone walking up and turned to see Splinter.

"Master Splinter."

"I would like to speak with you in private, Leonardo."

Leo turned fully to his mentor. "Did I do something wrong?"

"It's not was is wrong but what is not being done. Come with me so we will not get disturbed."

Leo didn't want to leave the camera wall but he followed his father to where Splinter did his meditation and sat cross-legged in front of his master.

"Leonardo, I have noticed that you have not gone to see your brother."

"He's been with Donnie getting better and Mikey takes too much out of him. From what I hear, half the time he's asleep."

"I believe that is not the case. You do not believe that he is Raphael, do you?"

"Well, I mean-"

"Be honest with me, Leonardo. I brought you somewhere private so that you could be truthful with me without listening ears."

Leo rubbed the back of his head.

"Well… yeah… I don't believe it's Raph. I mean, there are some things that kind of remind me of him but with him being sick and all, I just really can't tell…"

"Have you gone to see him?"

"No. Like I said, Donnie's been with him practically since we got him and Mikey usually wears him out so…"

"Donatello has talked with me about your apparent avoidance of Raphael. He says that you believe if the boy is Raphael that he turned himself into a human and then was caught by Shredder."

Leo sighed. "It's not really like that… it's just that the Raph I know would come to his senses and not turn into a human. I mean, he gets angry but he would never break up the team for a petty want like fitting in. He'd think about it and come back… but he didn't. Donnie thinks that Shredder did it."

"Is that not a possibility?"

"I mean, I guess but… I just don't see why he would do it. Donnie said to put a rift between us but I'm not trying to put a rift between anyone. I just haven't gotten a good look at him or talked with him to believe he's Raph yet. I didn't want to be in the way or cause an issue."

"Are you saying that if you were able to speak with him and get a better look at him that you could find a better way of coming to terms with his transformation?"

"I don't really know, Master… I'm really not trying to be a bad brother or cause a problem, it's just that there's too many strange occurrences to make up one event. Maybe I just… need more time…"

Splinter nodded a little as he crossed his arms.

"I can understand your doubts, Leonardo. I still have some doubts myself, but it is not about who that boy is. I have seen him and he _is_ Raphael. He will stay here and will be treated as he was treated before. It would be good of you to welcome him back when he is completely healed up. I understand not trying to overwhelm him, since I have not seen him much myself. But he is your brother, human now or not."

Leo nodded. "Yes, Master Splinter."

"Now, remember what I have told you and try to be more supportive in helping him and to your brother's beliefs. I understand your doubts but now is the time for faith."

Leo nodded and left as Mikey walked out of Donnie room and looked up.

"What happened?" Leo asked.

"Raph got something called sepsis. It's where an infection gets so bad that it gets in your blood and then your whole blood stream can get infected."

Leo nodded a little. "How is he now?"

"He's stable… at least that's what Donnie said." Mikey turned his head. "Why, you gonna go see him?"

Leo thought for a second and sighed. "Yeah…"

Mikey brightened. "Far out! He's probably asleep but that's okay."

Leo nodded and went to Donnie's room.

* * *

Donnie sighed at the vitals he was getting from his brother, everything being where they should be or at least close. Poor Raph looked like he had been abducted by aliens with the man tubes coming out of him. Since they caught it in time, he would be alright… The door opened and Donnie was about to rethank Mikey for his help when he blinked at Leo's presence.

"Leo…"

"Mikey said he had something called sepsis?"

Donnie adjusted his glasses. "Yeah… it uh, it's in infection in the blood stream…"

"But he's fine now?"

"Yeah, we got to him in time."

Leo nodded and finally turned to Raph. From afar he looked like a kid from the streets but Leo promised he'd try. He walked closer to him and looked over him, trying to find some sort of semblance of his brother. Raph looked content for the moment and Leo reached out slowly, moving some of the strange brown hair from his forehead. Then he saw the scar on his top lip and touched it softly.

Feeling Leo's touch, Raph breathed in and moved a little, swatting his hand away since it tickled. As he moved, Leo saw the chi mastery tattoo on his arm and frowned a little.

"Are you still having doubts?" Donnie asked as he walked up to him.

"Every time I've seen him he's been unconscious. I know Mikey said he was just like he used to be when he woke up the one time, but that's all I really know."

Donnie crossed his arms. "Well, I can tell you that after about five DNA tests, it came up with a match of 100% from things he's touched, he has all the tattoos that were on his skin and shell, and he has all the scars from our adventures. The one over his lip is the most prominent… I promise it's him, Leo…"

"Yeah… Let me know when he wakes up and is ready for visitors."

"Sure thing…"

Leo left the room and Donnie smiled. _Maybe he'll finally believe that you're really our brother…_

* * *

 **so leo is finally going to try and buckle down to believe it's raph. and i promise that raph will ACTUALLY recover and we'll move on with the story. it's just that it's so fun! but seriously, he's gone through enough of that.**


	8. Chapter 8

**yay finally moving forward...**

* * *

Raph opened his eyes and was surprised to not hear Donnie tinkering around the computer or messing with some of his medical equipment. He sat up slowly, feeling the hitch in his side from where he had been stabbed. He moved the sheet to take a look at the wound and was surprised to find his skin a peach color. He had to remember that he wasn't the same as he was before. He shook his head and looked at the wound again, finding a pretty good stitching job. He looked around for a second and really just couldn't believe he was back home. He didn't think he would ever get out of that cage…

Just the brief thought made Raph want to crawl back into bed and never see anyone again but he couldn't let what happened to him defeat him. His brothers had come to save him and brought him back home to where he belonged. He couldn't believe he actually thought that he wanted to be human and leave his family behind… He slowly got out of bed, the sheet wrapped around him, and pulled the IV out of his arm. It hurt really bad but he rummaged around in one of Donnie's drawers and found a Band-Aid to cover the entrance of the needle. He shuffled to the door and braced himself for revealing himself formally.

* * *

"Dude, you can't hog the whole pizza, Mikey." Leo growled, pulling the box over to him.

"You have your own box, Leo. That's why Master Splinter bought three boxes."

"No, he bought three boxes because it's supposed to be one for each of us and if you liked my pizza so much, you should have ordered it that way."

"I just wanted a taste, Mikey."

"Michelangelo, Leonardo, please stop this fighting. There is plenty of pizza to go around and share your pizza. You are too old for this to be an argument." Splinter said with a slightly exasperated sigh.

Donnie was happy that no one liked what he did on his pizza and was heading into a slice when he thought he saw his door open out of the corner of his eye. He looked over and saw Raphael slowly emerging from the room. He smiled and stood up, walking over to Raph and prompting everyone to look at him.

"You're up!"

The noise scared Raphael and he jumped a little. Donnie smiled nervously.

"Sorry…" Raph nodded. "You hungry? We have pizza…"

"I'm starving." He said softly and Donnie smiled.

Mikey got up and ran over to them.

"You can have some of mine!"

"He can but I can't?" Leo said from the table.

"You didn't just wake up from a coma."

Raph smiled and reached his hand from under the blanket to scratch his head when he felt hair there. He ran his fingers through it and frowned. Donnie watched him and Raph looked away.

"On second thought… I… I don't think I'm up for food."

Mikey's smile faded. "Oh… okay… is it the anchovies? I mean, I can pick them off, bro."

Raph smiled a little. "No it's… not that." He looked at Donnie. "I think I'm naked."

Donnie looked at him. "Yeah, by a human standpoint you are. I'll call April and see if she can get Casey to lend you some clothes. You're a little taller than he is… well… a little isn't really the word."

"I'll just go back in here."

Raph turned around and went back into Donnie's room.

Mikey looked at his brother in confusion.

"What was that about?"

"I don't think he's come to the whole realization that he's human yet."

"How can you not come to that realization?" Leo asked, getting up finally. "I mean, he was turned into a human."

"Well think about it, Leo," Donnie said as he moved from the door. "Your body changes but you don't see it unless you look in a mirror. Raph has been unconscious for close to two weeks now and his body might be human, but his brain is still a turtle. Until he really sees what's happened, things like this will keep happening."

"So what do we do?"

"We have to get him to see himself as what he is now. Somebody has to convince him to look in a mirror."

"Which he'd avoid at all costs." Leo pointed out.

"True, but he has to literally face the situation. He can't move forward if he doesn't. So, who's going to try and get him to do it?"

Leo and Donnie both looked at Mikey, who then pointed to himself.

"Me?"

"Yes you."

"Why me?"

"He'll take it better from you. We usually take most news better from you."

"Dude, I'm not going to crush him anymore than he already is…"

" _Can_ you crush him more than he already is?" Leo asked sincerely.

Mikey didn't want to be the bearer of bad news nor did he want to be the one who delivered the killing blow to Raph's already screwed up mind… but he knew Donnie was right. His brother would never try to exist past that room if he didn't face the facts.

"Fine… but… let me do it my way."

"Okay."

* * *

Donnie met with April in the alleyway and she smiled at him, holding out a backpack.

"Here you go. Casey threw in a couple of other things that Raph will need now that he's human."

"Like what?" he asked, opening the bag.

"He figured he wouldn't leave the cave just yet so all he gave him was some pajama-type things." Donnie blinked. "It's for sleeping… which he'll have to do more often now."

"We sleep."

"But humans need to do it more… anyway, he got him a toothbrush and toothpaste, for his teeth and a hairbrush to brush his hair. Some deodorant, a pack of underwear… oh and some flip-flops."

"Flip-flops?"

"Casey thought about it and turtles living in a sewer is odd but pretty likely to happen. A human living in the sewers is not exactly the best thing. Your skin is pretty thick but Casey thought having flip-flops for Raph's feet would keep him from getting an infection from the inside of the sewers."

"Right… good thinking… anything else?"

"I think that's about it. How's he doing?"

"He hasn't faced himself in the mirror yet. I'm sure he doesn't want to confirm everything that's happened, but he has to or he will kill himself. We're hoping Mikey will get him to do that."

"I hope everything goes well. I want to come and see him at some point."

"When he's mellowed out, then I think we'll be alright."

"That reminds me, do you know how to brush teeth?"

"We can look it up… how many times does he have to do that?"

"Usually twice a day but once for now until he gets the hang of it. It's different for turtles but humans can't have their teeth rotting out. He can brush his hair when he wants to."

"Thanks, April. You're a life saver… any word on the Foot Clan?"

"They've been oddly quiet. I think Shredder is up to something."

"Me too. Hopefully we'll have everything right with Raph before they act up again."

Donnie turned to leave but April walked over to him, touching his arm.

"Are you going to take Raph with you on missions?"

"It… never occurred to me _not_ to."

April nodded, understanding. "This isn't my place to say anything but just remember to keep in mind that he's human now. There are some things he may have kept from being a turtle, but some things he hasn't."

Donnie nodded and went down the manhole.

* * *

Donnie walked into his room and found Raph asleep on the small cot. He looked like he was having a nightmare or at least troubled dreams and so Donnie walked over, shaking his shoulder. Raph's eyes shot up and he sat up quickly, hissing at the wound on his side.

"What the hell, Donnie?" he growled, holding his wound.

"You looked like you were having a nightmare. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine…"

Donnie had seen the scars but he hadn't really _seen_ the scars. He tried to focus on his brother's life and not the atrocities done to him, but seeing Raph bare-chested, he could now easily see what may have been to him. Raphael realized Donnie was looking over his body and he pulled the sheet over his arm.

"Stop."

"I'm sorry… It's just… I tried to block them out while I was taking care of you and now…"

"Most of them are from before anyway. They're just easier to see now that… well…"

Donnie nodded a little and got back up, going to the backpack.

"Casey gave you some things. Clothes are in there and some other stuff. I can explain the other things later… although, you may want to take a bath."

"Do I smell?"

"Well, you've been unconscious for two weeks and I couldn't do much for you from when we rescued you since I had to get the wounds fixed… so…"

"I get it." he said with a small smile. "I'll go shower and then put these clothes on."

Donnie nodded and left the room to leave his brother to it.

* * *

Raphael finished taking a shower and stepped out of the stall but almost slipped and fell. He grabbed onto the wall and hissed angrily at pulling at the stitches. He tried not to dwell so much on his new form and if he could just think of himself as a turtle as much as possible, things wouldn't get weird… But his 'new' feet were not as gripping so he would have to get used to it. He straightened up and also realized that he couldn't go around being wet, like he used to do. True, the water would dry on him but it didn't seem to fall off of him as quickly. He grabbed the towel and dried himself off and then used it to get the water out of his hair. The hair thing was going to be difficult to get used to. All those wispy strings in his way…

He made his way back up to Donnie's room. He knew eventually he would have to go back to his own room but Donnie wanted him with him in case the wound opened up in the middle of the night. Raph didn't mind; he needed the company. He opened the door and went to the bed where the clothes were. He imagined April and matched up what went where and began to put the underwear and the pants on. He figured that one out by the cover of the package. Just as he pulled the pajama bottoms up, the door opened abruptly and Raph looked over, seeing Mikey.

"Mikey." He said softly.

"Oh, sorry."

"Why?"

"Well, April says she doesn't like it when we barge into her apartment and stuff because she said she might be in the middle of 'changing' and so I was like, 'Into what?' and she said that humans find it offensive if other people see them naked. So… yeah…"

"I've been a turtle for seventeen years, I think my vanity has been pretty underdeveloped. Besides, you're technically naked."

"True, but our shells make it look like we're not." He walked in further. "Dude, look at all those scars…"

"I told Donnie that most of them are from before. Nothing new."

"That's not true. There's new ones on there."

"Did you come here to analyze my skin or what is it?" Raph growled, sticking the plain shirt on over his torso.

"Actually yeah, I kind of did… Donnie says that you need to face the fact that you're human now."

"I don't gotta face nothing. I can tell without a stupid mirror that I'm different now. I don't need confirmation."

"But you _do_."

"No, I _don't_ , Mikey!" he growled, turning back to his youngest brother. "You think I don't know that I'm not the same? I see it all the time and I feel it every day. I may not look in a mirror, but I can feel that I'm not the same anymore."

Mikey fidgeted. "That's not enough to move on, though."

"And what do you know about it, huh? I was gone for a long time and I didn't see any of ya! I went through-" He stopped and swallowed hard, clenching his fist. "You guys just left me there."

"That's not true! We didn't abandon you! It's just that… everyone was debating on whether _you_ abandoned _us_."

Raph was actually hurt by the statement.

"You think I would have just turned into a human and left? If I had found the ooze and there was enough, I would have brought it back for all of us to make a decision. Yeah, I get a little hotheaded and say a lot of threats, but to think that you guys… that you guys thought I'd just leave?"

" _I_ never thought that!" Mikey yelled, hurt by his brother's accusation. "I knew you couldn't have just left us like that. When I found your bandana, I knew something bad happened. You wouldn't abandon us…"

"Then do me a favor, Mike, and drop the stupid human thing. I get it, I screwed up big time, and now I-"

Raph came face to face with himself in a small mirror that Mikey was holding up over his face. He moved and the unfamiliar face moved with him, confirming everything he didn't want to know.

"I'm so sorry…" Mikey trembled from behind the mirror, about to cry. "But you needed to see. You can't move on unless you see what we see. You have to understand-"

"Get out."

"I'm sorry…"

" _Get out_."

Mikey nodded and left the room, closing the door.

Raphael looked down at his hand and watched his five fingers as he wiggled them, the peachy skin, fingernails. He hated it. He hated it with a passion and now… He hugged himself and knelt down to the floor, beginning to sob. He had done himself in and there was no turning back. Unless they found more of the mutagen, he would stay separate from his brothers, no matter how hard they tried. He was a freak now to them.

* * *

Mikey leaned against the door and could hear his brother crying. He knew he had hurt him. He vowed that he would find the mutagen himself and fix him… but until then, he would be there the way Raph had always been there for him. _I won't abandon you…_

* * *

 **so what april was trying to say was that sewer + bare human feet + sewer ick = foot fungus, gross stuff etc.**

 **and poor raph. he just wanted to try and forget the whole incident but he couldn't stay away for long. he'd have to face the music at some point...**


	9. Chapter 9

**i apologize in advance. i was falling asleep so i have no idea what's at the bottom of this thing**

 **the ending has been fixed to not portray my sleepiness :/ sorry about that chickens**

* * *

A few days later, Mikey knocked on Donnie's door but it didn't open. He sighed and put the tray outside of the door.

"Raph… I'm _really_ sorry. Please come out… I'm really worried about you."

There was silence, as it had been, and Mikey went back to the wall of screens.

"Any luck?" Leonardo asked as he went through the screens.

Mikey deflated. "No. He hates me…"

Leo looked over and put his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"That's not true. He's just processing."

"He only talks to Donnie."

"Well, Donnie's been treating him, so I would think he trusts him a little more. Give him time, Mike."

Donnie walked out and almost stepped on the tray that Mikey had left at the door.

"Damn it, Mikey!"

"Sorry."

The door opened again and a peach-colored hand pulled the tray inside. The gesture was enough to make the youngest turtle smile. Donnie smiled too.

"He eats what you put out for him and he's getting his strength back slowly but surely."

"Does he hate me?"

"Nah, he's just trying to process the shock of what he's done. He won't tell me what happened but it makes him feel worthless. He didn't want to confirm the change that had happened but…"

Mikey nodded. "Yeah…"

"But it's technically a good thing. He'll eventually get tired of my company and want some different faces to look at."

"I hope sooner than later."

Splinter walked in and then went to Donnie's door, knocking on it.

"Raphael? May I come in?"

The door opened and Splinter walked in.

"Master Splinter."

"I came to see how you are fairing."

"I'm alright… Hanging out…"

"Your brothers are worried about you." He said with a knowing look.

Raphael sighed. "Yeah, I know. I hear Mikey all the time. I just need more time."

Splinter sat on the bed and pat beside him for Raph to sit next to him. He did and Splinter put his hand on his 'son's' knee.

"I know you feel ashamed about what has happened, but your brothers know that you wouldn't do this of your own accord."

"Puh, that's not what Mikey said. Leo thought I turned my back on everyone."

"Donatello and Michelangelo were pretty adamant that you would never do that. Leonardo has realized his mistake in doubting you. The fault-finding has finished and ow they just want their brother back. Peach-skinned or green."

"But I'm so different… I don't know how to act or what to say…"

"They have no changed, Raphael. Only the outside of you has changed, so nothing is as different as it seems."

"What about missions? Do you think they'd still let me come along?"

"That is something you will have to ask when the time comes. You're not ready for missions in the state you are in now."

"Well I meant when I was a little better."

"You will have to discuss this with them. I cannot make the decision for you."

Raph nodded as Splinter left the room.

* * *

"Looks like some Foot activity on the South side of New York." Leo said, pointing to a camera on the far left corner of the screens. "Move out!"

"What about Raph?" Mikey said.

"What _about_ Raph?"

"We just gonna leave him?"

"Master Splinter can take care of him. Besides, he's too weak to fight right now. We'll have to give his body some time to recover to even think about letting him come along." Donnie said.

Mikey didn't like leaving his brother behind but he saw the logic in Donnie's reasoning. His brother's body was foreign to him and it would take a minute for him to even get used to it, lest fight with it. With that solace in mind, the three turtles left the sewers to go kick some Foot Clan ass.

* * *

While his brothers were gone, what Mikey had given him just didn't seem enough to fill him up. So he decided to order some pizza and surprised his brothers. Now that they were gone, he had more of a desire to get out of Donnie's room and be in the living room. When the pizza came it was really odd that he was able to go and get the pizzas in the normal way without whisping by the pizza man in a flurry. Although since he was coming out of the sewers, the man was a little taken aback, but Raph paid the man and then took them back to the house.

A few minutes later, he heard his brothers coming into the sewers.

"Man that was a close call!" he heard Mikey say, pumped.

" _Too_ close. You never listen to what I say, Mikey." Leo complained.

"So what? I got 'em didn't I?"

"You almost died twice."

"By all calculations, his projection wouldn't have resulted in death in either instant of his barrage." Donnie said nonchalantly.

"Ha! See? 'By all calculations'." Mikey mocked to Leo.

The three turtles walked further into their home, the smell of pizza hitting their nostrils halfway down.

"I think I'm heading into heaven." Mikey said, his mouth beginning to water.

They opened the door and found the table covered in about six pizza boxes. Raph was sitting there and stood up when the door opened. He looked a little sheepish as he gave a small wave.

"Hey." They all waved back. "I couldn't remember what everyone like so I just kind of got what I thought it could be… I know that Leo always liked the veggie one…"

"Raph!" Mikey yelled, running to his brother and hugging him tightly.

"Gently!" Raph yelled.

"Whoops, sorry. Got carried away."

"My wounds are still in healing." He reminded him.

"Nice to see you up and about." Leo said.

Raph nodded as Donnie smiled.

"Thanks for the pizza, Bro. You going to join us this time?"

"If that's alright with you guys…"

" _Of course_!" Mikey yelled. "Man, we gotta tell you about what happened when we went to go fight the Foot just a moment ago!"

"Mike… Raph… I know you really don't want to remember what happened but… we kind of need to know. You never really explained anything to us."

"Leo, dude, have some sympathy." Mikey said.

"It's okay." Raph said to his youngest brother but he turned to Leo. "And I really can't say anything about what happened in there. Trying to recount it all is just too much for me right now. I'm just trying to come to grips with what's going on with me right now and being as normal as I can. Can you at least five me that courtesy?"

Leo crossed his arms. "I'm only going to say this _once_ and I swear that I will drop this subject once and for all: are you _really_ Raphael?"

Raphael bristled at the accusation, hurt flowing through _him_ like an electric shock. _I thought Master Splinter said they had already come to terms with my transformation… so they really **haven't** and **still** think I'm an imposter…_ he thought, crestfallen. Something suddenly brought him out of his reverie when he heard a crash and Mikey hit the ground on top of his brother, punching his brother with all his might.

"You liar! You said you believed he was Raph! You said you wouldn't doubt it anymore and leave it be! You promised to try! YOU PROMISED!" he screamed.

"Mikey!" Leo yelled, trying to avoid his punches.

"Mikey, get off of him." Donnie yelled.

Just as Mikey reared his arm back to give his oldest brother a good punch in the face, he felt something grab his hand.

"Don't." Mikey looked at his wrist and saw Raph holding it. "Michael, stop."

* * *

Not many people called Mikey "Michael" (actually most were forbidden to) except for Raphael. He and Master Splinter were the only two that he didn't get mad at when they called him Michelangelo. That being said, Mikey let off of his brother and turned away from Raph.

"It's not fair that he keeps saying that you are not you. There's so much evidence around here that suggests otherwise and then no one can deny it. But Leo just _won't let it go_! You're our brother! It doesn't matter what you turn into, you will _always_ be our brother."

"Leo has a right to be suspicious. We aren't human and we wouldn't have any idea what we would look like as such. You know that if it were any of you guys, I'd question every avenue until I saw what was right."

"But he knew already! He's just being cruel!"

"I'm not trying to be. Just covering my bases…" Leo mumbled, grabbing hold of a veggie pizza slice.

"You're not doing a very good job of it." Donnie commented.

"Despite what you all think, I'm not doing this to cause spite. I'm just giving him the chance to show himself to us if it really _isn't_ Raph. This is the last time he has a chance to surrender as an enemy, for if he betrays us as a friend, I know that I won't serve _any_ mercy."

Raphael stood up as tall as he could against his now towering brothers. "I'm Raphael. I grew up in the sewers of New York with my three brothers Donatello, Michelangelo, and Leonardo. I was raised by a rat named Splinter, where he showed us the ancient ways of the ninja and martial arts. We have two human friends named Casey Jones and April O'Neil. I hate when Mikey tries to make us use stupid catchphrases. We ended up having to yell out 'Cowabunga' all the time and I'm really pissed off that I have to prove myself to you guys."

Leo nodded. "I'm sorry I doubted you. I will never bring it up again."

"I'm not hungry anymore." Mikey said, heading for his room. Despite his love for pizza already, Mikey was a stress eater and so everyone was shocked to see he didn't even take a slice. A couple seconds later though he popped back in and took a box. "I don't want to eat in here with you people."

He left again and slammed his door closed.

Raph sighed. "I'm going to see what I can do for him."

"I'm really sorry, Raph." Leo said, genuinely sorry.

"It would be wise to keep your opinions out of things."

"Hey, Raph?"

He looked back at him and Leo smiled a little. "Welcome back, Bro... Officially."

Raphael smirked and went to go check on his youngest brother.

* * *

Mikey at his pizza in silence as he shoved the fifth piece into his mouth. He didn't care that it was the fifth piece of pizza or that he took a whole box and was going to eat it and most likely another box later all by himself. He was upset to a point that if Raph hadn't stopped him, he knew something would have happened. He would rather stuff his face with pizza all night to keep from doing anything. He heard a knock on the door but ignored it, figuring it was Leo.

"Can I come in?" he heard Raph ask.

Mikey set the pizza aside and went to the door. He let his brother in and sat back on the bed, Raph following him. They didn't say anything for a bit as Mikey nibbled the next piece of pizza.

"Do you want a slice of this?" he asked.

Raph decided to take it and they stayed silent again.

"You almost lost yourself back there." Raph finally said, finishing off his slice.

"It's just that he makes me so mad sometimes and that interrogation wasn't even called for! I'm so mad right now that it makes me want to scream. Aren't you angry about it?" Mikey growled, turning to his brother.

"Well of course I'm angry about it. I've been hearing whispers that Leo didn't believe I was me ever since you guys found me in the cage... I've had this lingering doubt that any of you actually believe me. I kind of knew it was coming though... but you have to admit that we're both right. We don't know what we would look like human and Leo's right in that if I was someone who wanted to fool you guys, once I gain your trust and I betray it, who would save me from the fate of you three?" Mikey nodded a little. "That would be if I were not who I say I am, but I am. The point is, I'm mad but I can't stay mad. I have to live what the skin I'm in and although I'm not the biggest anymore and I'm not green, I can still handle myself."

"I asked about you coming on missions with us. Donnie nor Leo really acknowledged anything about it. Well, Donnie said you're still recovering." Mikey looked at him sincerely. "You know my offer still stands." Raph turned his head. "You know, if you need to talk about whatever happened. I'll be a listening ear."

"I know Mikey." He looked at his hands. "There's a lot to say and a lot to remember but I can't. If I do..."

"It's okay. I'm not going to force you."

Raph nodded and sighed, laying back on Mikey's bed.

"It'll be really boring while I recuperate."

"Yeah... But hey, maybe you can start training again and join us soon."

Raph smiled. "That'd be nice."

They talked discursively for a while on the bed.


End file.
